UNESCO guidelines may affect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Complex revamp plan badly.
UNESCO guidelines may affect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Complex revamp plan badly.
As per the UNESCO norms, the Central Railway will not avail the floor space index (FSI) of 5 to construct high-rises — luxury hotels, commercial and residential towers — in its vicinity. Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee has asked railway authorities to seek permission from Unesco and submit the attested copy of the Unesco certified report.
As per the UNESCO guidelines, any new building in CST should not be more than the ridge level of the main CST station roof that is 25m high. It means that the Central Railway is unable to use an FSI of 5. The report states that the Wadi bunder site of CST should be maintained as an open green space. In other words, the new commercial development would not fit into the Unesco guidelines.
In light of the world heritage status given to CST, the proposal needs to be scrutinised carefully on the parameters of general heritage regulations, as well as applicable Unesco guidelines. AK Singh, Central Railway spokesperson said that they are taking all possible measures to carry out the CST revamp plan by protecting the heritage status of the CST.
“We will request railway authorities to consider modernisation of CST proposal by diluting its guidelines. Thus the high-rise hotels, residential and commercial complexes will be accommodated in the CST vicinity. We need to raise around Rs3700 crore for the CST face-lift project. Without the commercial development of Wadi bunder site, CST revamp plan is highly impossible. Central Railway is not financially sound to carry out entire revamp plans at this juncture,” railway officials told DNA.
“Heritage committee members should take a holistic view of the modernisation of CST. Only then, its development is possible,” railway officials added. The heritage committee will meet next week, where the revamp issue will be discussed.
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